SMU Women's Tennis Duo Earns High Preseason Ranking

[ER9TC4]

The SMU women's tennis team will open the season with two players ranked in the top 100, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced today. Marta Lesniak will enter the 2009-10 campaign ranked 39th in singles play, while Aleksandra Malyarschikova begins the season ranked 96th. As a doubles tandem the two Mustangs rank 13th in the country to start the season.

Lesniak was named the ITA Southwest Region Rookie of the Year a year ago. The 2009 C-USA Freshman of the Year and an All-Conference USA first-team pick, Lesniak finished her freshman campaign with a 14-1 record at the No. 1 spot for the Mustangs. She represented C-USA at the NCAA Women's Singles Championship next week by virtue of being the league's highest ranked player, at No. 59 concluding the regular season.

Malyarschikova finished the 2008-09 season with a 14-1 record in singles play. Her best victory of the year came against No. 17 Arkansas, defeating the No. 3 player Ela Kaluder 7-6, 6-0. In the NCAA Tournament she helped the Mustangs win their first round match over No. 39 Texas A&M with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over her opponent Christi Liles.

Lesniak and Malyarschikova teamed together in doubles to advance to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Doubles Championship a year ago. The two girls finished the season with a 16-1 record overall and a 15-0 mark in dual matches, to finish the season ranked No. 32 nationally.